


Return to Sender

by Macx



Category: Real Ghostbusters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-14
Updated: 2011-07-14
Packaged: 2017-10-21 09:51:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/223857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Macx/pseuds/Macx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It starts harmlessly enough, but Egon Spengler isn't prepared for a griffin egg, about to hatch, and a whole host of good and bad spirits after such a precious object. When he ends up with a baby griffin thinking he's the next best thing to a mother-figure, the problems just intensify.<br/>Who counts a talking crow and cat when you have that on your hands?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Return to Sender

Morocco, 1935 -- somewhere in the Sahara Desert

 

Professor Jonathan Engel watched the work at the excavation site. Hundreds of Moroccans swarmed the area and went after their business. There were tents clustering the immediate line of the site, forming an impenetrable seeming wall toward the desert. Swirls of smoke rose between the tents, indicating cooking fires. There was digging equipment everywhere.

The mid-day heat burned down on the large crater-like excavation, turning the sand into a white-hot oven. Engel wiped sweat off his brow. Whatever had made him come here, to this hellhole? Curiosity, was the answer. His partner and friend Andrew Harrow had sent a message that he had discovered something incredible and wonderful. He hadn't said what exactly he had found, just that that Engel should come immediately. Engel, knowing his easy to excite partner, had hesitated. But then curiosity had won over better knowledge. Harrow might be easy to excite, but he also was a scientist and every time he had told Engel there was something incredible, this had been true.

So he had booked a journey to Morocco.

"Jonathan!" someone called jovially and Engel turned.

Andrew Harrow came over, his steps full of unreleased energy. He was a middle-aged man of slim built with light brown hair. A pair of glasses adorned his face, constantly balancing on the tip of his nose.

"Hello, Andrew," Engel greeted him.

"Did you have a good flight?" the Englishman asked, his blue eyes sparkling with youthful energy.

"Bumpy," Engel answered gruffly. He hated flying and Harrow knew it. But since it was the fastest, though not the cheapest way to get to North Africa, Engel had had to fly.

Harrow grinned. "Well, let's raise your spirits, Jonathan. You won't believe what I found!" The younger man grabbed his partner by the arm and dragged him over to one of the tents standing a bit more separated from the rest. It was also larger and through it easily distinguished as an exhibition tent.

Harrow opened the tent and stepped inside, motioning Engel to follow him. Inside it was just  
as bright as outside since the material of the tent was white linen. There were several tables lined up and on the tables lay different objects. Engel saw vases, pots and other 'normal' excavation finds. Harrow walked over to a small box, opened it and took out an egg-shaped object.

"What's that?" Engel wanted to know.

"That," Harrow said with a grin, "is what I found."

He unwrapped the object and placed it carefully on the table. Engel came closer. It was an egg, as far as he was concerned. A longish, oval egg and quite large. Being a paleontologist Engel had seen many different dinosaur eggs and this was no different from all the others. What made it special was the fact that it had been found here. There hadn't never been a dinosaur egg discovered in this area of Africa.

"Where did you find it?" he asked.

Harrow grinned. "One of the workers dug it out of a ruin from what we believe was once a temple."

"What?"

The grin broadened at Engel's surprise. "I told you this was unique."

Engel examined the egg more closely. Moroccans were not known to worship dinosaur eggs. "Have you tested the egg? Did you examine it closely?"

Harrow nodded. "Yes, We think it's a t-rex egg."

"A _tyrannosaurus rex_?" Engel eyed the egg again. The size was right. As was the surface appearance, though you couldn't see much since the egg was packed in stonelike mud. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure. But I won't mind being contradicted." Harrow smiled. "Be my guest."

As Engel touched the egg he felt a strange warmth emitting from it. Surprised he let go again. The warmth disappeared. He frowned, touching the egg again, but this time it was the simple, cold surface of a dead object. He had to be hallucinating. Too much sun. With those thoughts he set to work.

 

 

The night came quickly, making further excavations impossible. As the workers sat around their fires and talked, Professor Jonathan Engel still examined the egg. He was fascinated by the object and just couldn't stop. Around midnight he got up to answer the call of nature. The second he had left, the egg started to vibrate as if whatever was inside wanted to get out.

Outside the tent one of the workers screamed in terror as he witnessed the unexplained flight of several tools. A shovel brushed by closely, burying itself in the ground in front of another worker. Buckets full of sand turned over, tents collapsed. Panic reigned in the small colony of tents as the workers fled.

Jonathan Engel was nearly hit by a vase that was hopping around the tent he had just left. His colleague and partner, Andrew Harrow, stood in the midst of the chaos, staring. But just as quickly as the chaos had come it left again. An eerie silence descended over the ruined camp.

 

*

 

She stirred restlessly inside her protective shell as the first dreams came.

Far away from her, he yawned and stretched, then curled back into a ball of fur. The dreams had disturbed him more than her, but they hadn't woken him.

 

*

 

New York City, 1994

 

The New York Museum of Natural History was a quiet place in the late evening hours. The doors to the exhibitions rooms had closed down about two hours ago and most of the employees were gone. Security guards made their rounds, looking in on the few lit rooms on the second floor. Down in one exhibition room one lonely figure worked over the newly arrived crates. The crates had stamps from Africa all over them and most of them were still closed. The lonely figure moved the heavy wooden lid off the smallest of the crates and started to unwrap the object inside. Then he placed it on the table, starting his examination.

"Still working, Professor?"

The voice startled him and he nearly dropped the large object.

"Sorry, didn't want to scare you," the security guard said, coming closer.

"Nothing to be sorry about," Professor Dirk Monroe said, laying down the oval shape. "I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't hear you coming, Sam."

Sam Baker, the security guard, grinned. "That's why we're around, Professor, because all you scholar types are so absent-minded that a thief would have an easy play."

Monroe chuckled. "Yeah, maybe."

Sam eyed the thing on the crate. "What's that? An egg?"

Monroe nodded. "Yes. We found it in Morocco. Dr. Harrison thinks it's a t-rex egg, but it's too big for that."

"Uh-huh. It's for the new exhibition in August then?"

"We plan for it to be in it, yes. But first I've to find out where it belongs to."

Sam shrugged. "Have fun. Just don't make it too late."

"Yes, Mother," Monroe teased.

Sam grimaced and left, completing his rounds. Professor Monroe turned his attention back to the egg. As he took the dinosaur's egg over to one of the work benches he thought he had the weirdest feeling. It was as if the stone hard egg was warm. He set the egg down and flexed his hands. The feeling of warmth disappeared as he let go of the egg. Strange. Cautiously he touched the egg again, but it felt no different than any of the other million year old artifacts he had seen and touched before. Maybe he was too tired. That must be it.

Dirk Monroe sat down in front of the desk and got out his tools. Out of a wild idea he also got out a heat sensor and attached it to the egg's surface. He then adjusted some dials and looked at the read-out screen. Nothing. No higher temperature than expected. He really must be tired, he decided. He had started work too early this morning and normally he would be home by now. Maybe he should call it a night and continue tomorrow. Tomorrow he'd also be able to x-ray the egg and see if there was anything interesting to see.

Yawning, Monroe abandoned his task, putting the egg back into the crate. Then he switched off the lights and went out of the room, locking it behind him. The only one with a key, beside him, were the security guards. He put the keys back into his pocket and walked down the corridor. He was barely a few feet away when he heard a loud, crashing noise. And from the sound of it it was coming from his office where he had just left.

Turning on his heals he ran back, nearly colliding with Sam Baker.

"Did you hear that?" Monroe asked his friend.

Baker nodded. "Any idea?"

"No, I just locked the door and was on my way home."

Another crash and the sound of something breaking. Sam got out his key and motioned Monroe to stay back. Then he opened the door. Another crash greeted them and both men jumped back as the skeleton of a small dinosaur scurried through the door, disappearing down the corridor. Monroe gaped. He recognized that skeleton. He had just finished reattaching the last bones a few days ago.

"Great Heavens!" Sam whispered as he stared inside the office room.

Monroe could only keep on staring. The whole room was alive with things that had been dead only minutes ago. Some of his tools stuck in the walls, vases and broken pieces of old artifacts moved around, and another dinosaur skeleton -- this one half finished -- moved laboriously around on the table. The professor shut the door, preventing a vase to get out. He heard a splintering sound as the vase collided with the door. When nothing else hit the door and no sound was coming from inside, Monroe opened the door again, peeking inside. Everything was quite.

"Sam, close off the area," the shaken professor ordered, closing the door again. "Nobody goes in or out."

"What are you going to do, Professor?" the security guard wanted to know, eyeing the closed door suspiciously.

"Right now, I'm gonna get me a tea and calm down. Tomorrow I'm gonna call for help."

 

* * *

 

She stirred, stretching a bit. A yawn escaped her and reluctantly, very reluctantly, she opened her eyes. Blinking she tried to focus on something in her immediate surroundings. Her eyes came to rest on some old stone statues and large crates. From where she sat, high above an aisle, she could see men walking below her, carrying crates and boxes, looking busy. She yawned again and stretched further. A rustle of wings reminded her that she hadn't changed since going to sleep. Quickly she took inventory. Her feathered body was covered with dust flakes and the remnants of her stone shell. Opening her wings she flexed them, satisfied when her muscles showed no further stiffness than expected.

Then she frowned. Why had she woken? There had to be a reason. And there was only one reason she could think of.  Hopping over to the front of the beam she was sitting on she stretched her wings and took off. Beating her wings in a steady rhythm she searched for the exit and found it in form of a large door. Leaving the old warehouse she climbed high into the sky, all senses searching for the origin of her wake-up call.

She only hoped he wasn't on his way, too....

 

* * *

 

"I hate museums!"

Ray Stantz turned to his complaining colleague and gave him a smile. "Aw, come on, Peter. What's so bad about museums?"

"It's dusty in there," the psychologist muttered. A hearty sneeze followed his statement and he sniffled. "See."

"Pete, we're not even close to the museum. You have a cold." Winston grinned in amusement.

"I'm allergic to museums, that's what it is."

"It is a cold, Peter. And I think it is the result of your dive into the Hudson last week." Egon lifted both eyebrows.

"And who was it who got me into the damn river in the first place? Achoooo!" Peter fumbled out a handkerchief and blew his nose. "I hate colds even more," he sniffed, sounding like his whole nose was blocked -- which it really was.

"Guys, we're here," Winston Zeddemore called from the front seat and stopped the car.

The Museum of Natural History loomed over them. It was a very large building with three storeys and impressing pillars flanking the high, double doors of the entrance. The stone was of a dark gray and light gray color. Visitors went in and out and some gave the Ghostbusters curious glances. A tourist couple even took a picture -- which let Peter forget his cold for a second and strike a pose. Egon went up the stairs, followed by his colleagues. They had just entered the large front hall of the museum when a man with graying black hair walked over to them.

"Egon, my old friend!" he called and smiled broadly.

Egon smiled, too, and both men shook hands. "Hello, Dirk."

"It's been such a long time," the dark-haired man said. "Thanks for answering my call."

"Professor Dirk Monroe, my colleagues Dr. Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore and Dr. Peter Venkman."

"Achooo!"

Monroe grinned. "Sounds like one heck of a cold, Dr. Venkman."

"At least one takes pity in me," Peter said into his handkerchief, receiving grins from his colleagues.

Dirk Monroe smiled again. He was nearly as tall as Egon, but at least five years older from the looks of it. A bushy moustache adorned his upper lip and he was wearing a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. He had curly hair, that stood wildly in all directions and seemed to resist every comb or brush.

"What happened, Dirk?" Egon wanted to know, changing the topic to the immediate problem at hand.

Monroe sobered. "Well, if it wasn't for you being Ghostbusters and hearing all of that every day, I wouldn't even think about telling anyone, but .... Follow me." He motioned the four men to follow him. When they arrived in front of an office door he stopped. "That's my office," he explained, gesturing at the small name plate saying 'Prof. Dr. Dirk Monroe, Ancient History and Paleonthologie'. "I was working yesterday and when I left everything started." As he said that he opened the door.

"Geez, must have been one heck of a party," Peter said and shook his head.

The office, which also seemed to be partly a lab, was in chaos. Broken vases, petri dishes, glass, bones and dozens of other stuff lay scattered on the floor. One table was turned over and an old dagger stuck in the wall opposite the table. Just in front of the table lay a large stone, looking like an egg.

"What happened here?" Egon asked.

"Wish I knew, Egon. I was doing some research on one of the objects the museum had lately acquired last evening. When it was getting too late I decided to call it a night and go home. The moment I locked the door behind me, the whole thing started. There was a lot of commotion inside and Sam -- that's the security guard assigned to this part of the museum -- and I opened the door again." He grinned humorlessly. "The first thing we saw was the skeleton of a _compsoghnatus_ running towards us and then disappearing down the corridor."

"A what?" Winston wanted to know.

"A _compsoghnatus_ ," Ray answered. "A small dinosaur."

Monroe nodded. "We found the skeleton this morning. It had fallen apart and was lying only a few feet away from here, behind one of the statues of the Italian exhibition. The other stuff you see here was either floating around or just hovering in the air. Sam and I decided to lock the room and hope whatever it is will stay inside. Then I decided to call you today."

Egon nodded, pulling out his PKE-meter. "We will take some readings and examine the room, Dirk."

The professor nodded. "Okay, thanks. I'll be in the Dinosaur Exhibition, left wing, first floor. They have some problems with the _velociraptor_ there. If you need me before I come back, just ask one of the security people or one of the employees."

The four men nodded and Monroe left.

"Okay, team, let's set to work," Ray called enthusiastically, pulling out his own P.K.E. meter.

"Achoooo!" Peter acknowledged. Then, after fumbling out his handkerchief again, he and Winston decided to take a closer look at the different objects scattered around the office and the four men started their work.

Only five minutes later, Ray's P.K.E. meter gave a little beep. He raised both eyebrows and made another sweep. Again he had a reading. Fiddling with dials he closed in on the source.

"Do you have something, Raymond?" Spengler asked.

"Hm-mh."

"Which means, wonderboy?" Peter wanted to know.

"Hmmm," was the absent-minded reply.

"Oh, yeah, should have seen that myself," Venkman replied and grimaced at Winston, who only chuckled.

"That's strange," the occultist finally muttered.

"What?" Peter asked patiently.

"I'm getting a very faint reading from what happened yesterday evening, but following Professor Monroe's description I thought the P.K.E. level would be much higher."

"I noticed that, too," Egon agreed.

"Now I'm getting another reading, apart from the residual energy. It's like a shielded source of energy, but it's not the normal P.K. energy. It's different." Ray frowned. "Very strange." Making a second sweep he fixed his meter on the overturned table. "It seems to be coming from there."

"But there's nothing but a table, a chair and a lump of rock," Peter said. Then he frowned, too. "The rock?" he asked cautiously, eyeing the eggshaped thing suspiciously.

Egon pointed his meter at the rock, too. "Possible," he answered. "For sure," he said seconds later as his P.K.E. meter gave a beep. As with Ray's reading this wasn't very strong, but definitely a reading of something paranormal.

The four men came cautiously closer. Peter expected the rock to glow and float around them any second, but nothing happened. Egon knelt down and held the P.K.E. meter closer. The reading didn't get any stronger. Carefully he stretched out a hand and touched the rock.

"Egon!" Peter exclaimed, wanting to pull his blond friend away, but Egon shook his head.

"It's okay, Peter. It may show some psychokinetic readings, but it's inactive."

"Which doesn't make it safe!" the dark-haired psychologist said vehemently. "It could be activated by your touch."

"No, Peter. Dirk touched it too, and nothing happened."

"Except that the whole room is now a mess," Venkman muttered.

Egon frowned, but not at Peter's remark. He was still touching the egg.

"What is it, Egon?" Ray wanted to know.

"Very peculiar. For a moment I thought the surface of the stone was warm."

Ray frowned too, and knelt down beside his older friend, touching the stone. "I can't feel anything but the stoney surface," he said after a few seconds.

"I know. That's what I feel now, too. But I had the distinct impression that the stone was warm." The physicist shook his head and stood.

"What do you want to do now?" Peter asked.

"I will ask Dirk to borrow us this stone. I want to take a closer look at it at home where I have my equipment."

Winston frowned. "You think the museum will let us have it?"

"Considering the damage that was done here, I think the museum will be glad if we take the troublemaker away with us," Egon answered simply.

 

*

 

And it was just like that. Dirk Monroe cleared the whole thing with the museum's director and Egon explained to the director what he thought was the source of their trouble last night. Director Fraser was only too happy for their help, but he still wanted Egon to sign a paper that he was now temporary keeper of the egg and that it would be returned after the studies.

Egon was surprised to learn that the archaeologists and the paleontologists thought this was a dinosaur egg. True, it looked like a _tyrannorsaurus rex_ egg -- if you looked closely -- but he didn't think it was one. Especially after they had got those readings. And then, since when had the _tyrannosaurus rex_ lived in today's Morocco. And as far as Egon could remember the eggs never were that large. He had some experience in that field, thanks to his friendship with Dirk, and he thought himself an expert enough to say for certain that this was no t-rex. But why had Dirk thought that? He was a professor in that field and a renowned one, too? Did it have something to do with the egg itself? Was it the subtle energy emitting from it? Whatever it was, Egon had to find out.

 

*

 

Back in his lab at Ghostbuster Central Egon locked the door behind himself and set to work on the egg. Winston and Peter decided that TV was more interesting than labwork and settled down on the second floor. Ray joined them half an hour later, but not to watch TV. Since Egon was at work with the egg, the occultist had decided to go over the readings again and compare them to what was stored in 'Tobin's Spirit Guide', especially after what had occurred with Slimer. There was something about this egg .....

Slimer, the Ghostbusters' resident ghost, had eyed the egg with curiosity as they had carried it upstairs.

"That's nothing to eat," Peter had told the spud.

Slimer hovered over the egg. "Tickles," he had finally said.

"Tickles?" Ray had echoed. "You can feel something coming from the egg?"

Slimer had frowned. "Feels strange, tickles," he had finally answered. "Funny feeling."

"Bad feeling?" Peter had wanted to know.

The green ghost had only shaken his head -- which resulted in ectoplasm being splattered everywhere. "Funny feeling, not bad, Slimer like it." With that he had departed, leaving the Ghostbusters behind, wondering.

 

 

It was two hours later when the three men on the second floor heard a loud crash from upstairs an, followed by a thud and a cry of surprise. Peter was on his feet and up the stairs in seconds, closely followed by Winston and Ray.

"Egon!" Venkman yelled when he arrived on the third floor, his eyes darting to the bottom of the lab's door, searching for signs of smoke coming from under it. There was none. He opened the door and stopped dead in his tracks.

The chair in front of the large desk Egon used when he was studying something and simultaneously making notes was overturned. The physicist sat on the floor, openmouthed. On the desk were the remains of the egg or whatever it had been. The stone had burst apart, leaving two large pieces and dozens of smaller ones littering the table. But it was not the burst egg that made the other three stare openmouthed too, it was the small creature sitting beside Egon's legs. It wasn't larger than a cat and looked like one -- for most part that is. The body, as well as the tail, was definitely that of a cat -- or a lion. The long, feathered neck and the head, complete with a beak, looked like that of an eagle. There were two, small wings on its back. The feathers, as well as the fur of the cat half of the creature, were of a very dark brown color, patches of it appearing to be black.

"What the hell....." Winston exclaimed. "What's that!?"

The little creature gave a distressed sound at the loud voice and hopped onto Egon's lap, crouching down low as if to make itself invisible. The sight of the frightened thing evoked the protective streak for small animals in Ray.

"You scared it, Winston," he reproached his colleague.

"Oh, sorry," he replied sarcastically. "But what is that thing?"

"Judging from the general look and the anatomical clues I would hazard it is a griffin," Egon said, stroking the scared animals neck and back.

Peter blinked. "A griffin? Like in the kids stories?" He came closer.

"Exactly." The physicist nodded.

"What's it doing here?"

Egon scowled at that obviously dumb question. "It just hatched from the egg."

Peter looked from the egg to the griffin and back again. "I knew it was a bad idea to take that stupid stone home," he then muttered. Suddenly his nose itched. "Achooo!" he sneezed and the griffin gave a shriek, trying to bury itself in Egon's lap.

"Easy," the physicist muttered.

Venkman sniffled. "It's starting again," he complained. He had been nearly 'sneeze-free' for the whole day so far.

That was the moment Slimer oozed through the floor and looked around. His eyes came to rest on the griffin in Egon's lap. With wide, orange eyes he floated closer. The griffin looked up as the ghost hovered beside it, cocking ist head.

"What is?" Slimer asked.

"That's a griffin, Slimer," Ray explained, smiling. "It just hatched in Egon's lab."

"Bird-cat," Slimer said, frowning at the griffin. He stretched out a hand to pet the little animal on the head and was rewarded with a little purring sound. "Baby birdie-cat likes Slimer," the ghost announced happily.

"The griffin loves Slimer," Peter groaned. "Now my life's complete!"

"What do you wanna do with it?" Winston wanted to know from Egon.

Spengler was still stroking the animal, which it seemed to like it a lot. "I don't know," he confessed. "I want to make some tests with it, find out where the egg might have come from." He looked at Ray, who had come over to the two and was now sitting on his haunches at Egon's side. "I want you to call Dirk Monroe and find out what he knows about the origin of the egg."

The occultist nodded. "Sure, Egon." Carefully he touched the little griffin. The creature flinched at first, then turned his head ever so slightly to get a better look at Ray. Ray scratched the head of the animal and was rewarded with another purr. "It likes me!" he exclaimed happily.

"I present you: Dr. Ray Doolittle," Peter said sarcastically, stiffling another sneeze. "Friend of all the creatures great and small."

Winston smiled as he watched the griffin uncurl a bit and move his head towards Ray's stroking hand, while lifting his wings for Egon to scratch its back. After a few more treats for the animal Egon gathered it up in his arms and stood. Carefully he walked over to his desk and set it down. The griffin looked up at the four men and the green ghost gathering around it and gave a questioning, guttural sound.

"Good boy," Ray said and patted its eagle head.

The griffin cocked its head and clucked.

"I think it understands me!" The occultist beamed.

"Ray, it's reacting like all the dogs I know," Peter told him. "It's your voice, not the words."

The younger man shrugged. "So what? It knows we don't want to hurt it."

Egon walked over to the shelf where he kept some devices. The moment he turned his back on the griffin the small animal gave a panicked screech, his wings flapping. It hopped over to the end of the table, craning its head to see where the physicist was going. When Egon was nowhere in its sight it starting to call for him in desperate little screeches. Ray kept it from falling off the table as it tried to take off and fly after the first human it had seen after hatching.

"It's okay, little griffin," he soothed it, pointing at Egon, who was coming back. "He won't go."

The griffin cooed and gave Egon a reproachful look as he stood at the table again.

"He thinks you're his mom, Spengs," Peter grinned gleefully.

That made the physicist scowl, but he didn't say a thing. Instead he started his tests on the fantasy animal.

"Can we keep him?" Ray asked, looking at his three friends.

"Keep him? Ray, are you nuts?" Peter shook his head. "That's a griffin!" He sneezed again. "And I think I'm allergic to it," he added.

"So? We also have Slimer, and he's a ghost. And I doubt you're allergic to it, Peter," Ray added.

"I think there's a little difference between a griffin and a ghost, buddy," the psychologist pointed out. "Who takes care of him? He won't be like Slimer. I bet he leaves little heaps everywhere. And I also bet he will grow. Remember those bed-time stories? Griffins are large! And what happens when he starts shedding all those feathers when he grows. It'll be a mess."

"We're used to you and your mess, Pete," Winston said dryly.

Peter stuck out his tongue.

"I will take care of him. I got Slimer housebroken, didn't I? And you don't know that he grows larger." Ray tried his best puppy dog look on the psychologist.

"As do you, Ray. He might stay that small, but he also might grow as large as a dog. Or larger." Peter gave Egon a pleading look. "Egon?"

The physicist was completely absorbed in his studies and didn't react to Peter's plea. The griffin sat totally still as Egon took readings, but his eyes never left the human.

"What?" Spengler asked as Peter repeated his name.

"Ray wants to keep the griffin," Venkman informed him.

"Very good idea. There are a lot of tests I still want to run."

Peter goggled. "What!? You want to keep that thing?"

Egon looked calmly at him. "Why not, Peter? This is a unique opportunity." With that he returned to his work.

The griffin made another sound, this time it sounded very insistent. It flapped its wings and opened its beak demandingly.

"I think its hungry," Ray translated the behavior which made Egon's attempts to continue with his studies impossible.

"What do you want to feed it?" Winston wanted to know. "It's not Slimer."

"Yeah, he eats everything that doesn't eat back," Peter put in sarcastically.

Slimer had heard that comment and stuck out his tongue.

"Well, it's half eagle, half lion," Stantz mused aloud. "So we could try meat."

"I'll get some," Winston volunteered and walked down to the kitchen.

The psychologist sighed theatrically and left the lab, muttering to himself. Egon and Ray didn't hear him as they concentrated on the little griffin, that -- probably knowing that food was on its way -- sat completely still and let the two scientists continue their observations.

 

* * *

 

She was flying high above the skyscrapers of the city called New York by the humans when the second signal came. Choosing one of the tallest buildings to land on she looked over the city, concentrating on finding the signal. It was close, but a bit confused.

>>Hello<<

The voice sounded in her head and she gave a surprised squawk. Looking around she discovered a gray cat with white paws sitting on the same roof she was, high above the streets.

>>You!<< she exclaimed, hopping closer, eyes narrowed. >>What are you doing here?<<

>>I'm here to help you, beautiful lady<< If cats could grin this one came closest to doing so.

>>I don't need help, Mzuryn!<< Her crow eyes were full of annoyance. >>Who sent you?<<

The cat grinned. >>No one sent me. I thought I'd drop by and give you a helping hand, er, paw.<< He looked at his white paws and then back at the crow. >>We're partners, remember?<<

>>I don't need you help. I never needed you and I will never need you.<< She tried to sound final. >>And we're not, I repeat not, partners!<<

>>Yes, we are<<

>>No, we're not!<<

>>We are<<

>>Not!<<

>>Are<<

>>NOT!<< She looked wildly at him. >>I don't need your help, you stupid landcrawler! I never needed your help. You're a pain in the neck and insubordinate to the hilt!<<

Mzuryn stretched, meowing with pleasure, and then walked over to her, not the least impressed by her tirade -- he was used to that.

>>What happened the last time you tried that stunt with working all alone on your own, O Great Leader? You nearly lost the Krayphen. And then the Ainourn ... We both got reprimanded for that and somehow you managed it that I got the whole blame. But it was you who lost the Ainourn, m'lady<<

>>Stop it!<< she commanded.

He flicked his ears. >>But if you insist, I can very well work alone, too<< he said. >>Then again: they didn't make us partners for nothing. There's a reason behind this teaming up of forces<<

>>The only reason is to annoy me. I don't need a partner, the least of all a junior partner. And there's nothing you have that I don't have<<

>>Oh, I thought I could contribute more to this team than annoyance. What about my charm?<< He walked over to the roof's end and peered down. It was a looong way down -- and cats couldn't fly. >>What about my skill at finding the hatchlings?<<

She snorted.>>I can do that, too. And I don't need your so-called charm, Mzuryn<<

>>Listen, beautiful lady, we're a team, okay? That means working together. And only because I'm a few years younger doesn't make the junior partner, okay? Age has nothing to do with experience. I'm much longer into this game than you are<< He sat down and looked at her, his tail flicking back and forth.

>>I can do it alone<<

>>Sure, Jojo, you can<<

>>Stop calling me Jojo<< She beat her wings and pecked at him. He escaped her sharp beak with ease.

>>Come one, you need my help. Confess it. You won't be able to find the Krayphen and bring him home<<

The pecked at him again and then took off. >>I can<< she called back. >>And I will<<

Mzuryn settled back on his hind legs and watched her fly away. >>Wrong direction, Jojo!<< he called after her, but she didn't hear him. Shaking his head he surveyed the city below. >>She won't find him<< he told no one specific. >>And it's on me again to pull her out of the fire<< Still shaking his head he walked over to the small entry to the roof where he had come up.

 

* * *

 

Ray placed the receiver back on the cradle and made his last notes. Then he turned to Peter and Winston, who still sat on the couch, but not longer watching TV.

"That's interesting," he said as if to himself.

"What is?" Peter asked.

"I think we should call Egon first."

Winston nodded and stood, walking over to the stairs to the third floor. Fifteen minutes later he and Egon came back down -- followed by the griffin. The small animal was hopping down the stairs, stopping after each hop and looking suspiciously down the stairs, then hopping down another step. When it was finally down the whole flight of stairs Egon was already standing beside the couch. It gave a reproachful 'meowtwip' and followed him.

"What's up, Ray?" the physicist asked. Another 'meowtwip' made him conscious of the griffin sitting at his side, flapping its little wings. With a sigh he bent down and picked it up. The creature purred immediately and snuggled into his arms. Egon's mouth curled into a fond smile, then -- as he caught himself -- he put on a mask of professionalism.

"I called Professor Monroe and asked him about the origin of the egg. He gave me some very interesting information." Ray took his notebook and sat down.

Egon followed his example, the griffin still in his arm. Peter couldn't help but grin.

"The egg," Stantz began, "was originally found by an excavation team in Morocco, 1935. The head scientists were Andrew Harrow and Jonathan Engel. They were looking for old ruins of the ancient civilization of Morocco. Engel wrote in a short report to one of the other scientists involved in the project that Harrow had sent a message that he had found something incredible and had asked him to come. Apparently Engel had no idea what his colleague had found, but he came to Morocco nevertheless. When Engel wrote his second report he said that whatever it was that Harrow had discovered, it was nothing extraordinary. But," Ray pronounced that word, "there's another report, by Andrew Harrow, where he describes the egg and also reports of supernatural occurrences just one week after they discovered it in a ruin of what they thought was once a temple. No one believed Harrow, especially since the object -- the egg -- was gone. Harrow guessed then that a worker stole it to keep 'evil away from the camp'. The egg was never found again."

"Then were did Monroe get it from?" Winston asked.

Ray smiled. "Someone found the egg in a small museum in El-Aiun. The owner of the museum was just too happy to sell the 'stone' and Monroe bought it for the Museum of Natural History when it was offered. He got the egg last week and opened the crate three days ago. Yesterday evening he started his examination of what he thought was a t-rex egg."

"I wonder why Dirk never stumbled over a t-rex egg coming from Morocco," Egon mused aloud.

"Oh, he did," Ray answered. "First he doubted that the egg was really a dinosaur egg, but everything looked just like it. Then he was somehow convinced that this might point to dinosaurs living at the coast of today's Morocco, that is t-rexes living there."

Egon shook his head. "I would never believe that humbug. T-rexes never came near the Moroccan coast."

"Hey, other people would say ghosts are humbug," Peter interjected. "And you ignited some heated discussions back at college when you went into the paranormal that deep." He grinned. "Give others some leeway with their theories, Spengs. Yours are crazy, too."

"I never said that t-rexes or other dinosaurs lived in Morocco," the physicist said indignantly.

Venkman rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you just tried to convince everybody that there are ghosts and demons and a place like the Netherworld dimension, right."

"So Monroe got the egg from Morocco," Winston addressed Ray and the occultist nodded.

"I couldn't get anything else from him, but I think it's interesting nevertheless. Wherever the egg appeared it caused paranormal activity," he explained.

"But not here in Central," Peter objected.

"Well, it hatched," the black Ghostbuster said.

Venkman shrugged. "Doesn't count. We had no P.K.E. meters flying around or windows exploding."

The griffin flapped his small wings.

"But if we're not very careful we'll have a griffin flying around," Winston joked.

Egon stroked the animal again and it settled down. "The fact is that the egg alone was a source of strong, paranormal activity."

"And if the egg was that strong," Ray continued, eyes alight with understanding, "the griffin might be even stronger!"

"Guys, I don't wanna hear this," Peter complained. "You mean this little critter might be all-powerful?"

"Not all-powerful, Peter," Spengler corrected. "I couldn't find any traces of P.K. energy when I examined him, but he might possess powers he still has to develop."

"Maybe the egg was surrounded by a protection spell," Ray mused aloud. "That could be the reason why everything happened."

"Then why didn't it happen when Egon examined the egg?" Zeddemore wanted to know.

Ray looked lost. "I don't know."

"I think further tests are necessary," the blond physicist announced. "Especially in determining our role in this."

"Our role, Spengs?" Peter raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "It was you who triggered the hatching process."

"We don't know that for sure, Peter. We all touched the egg once or twice. I just happened to be in the lab when the griffin hatched."

"Yeah, and he adopted you right away." Peter laughed as the small griffin rubbed his head on Egon's chest. "Daddy Egon."

Egon shot his younger friend an annoyed look. "This animal behaves like all young animals after hatching. He is fixed on the person he saw first."

"And he thinks you're his mom, Egon," Ray finished, smiling. "That's great!"

Egon stood, deciding that the lab was the safest place for himself and his charge. The griffin reacted to the change of position by arranging his own position in Egon's arms and then closed his eyes, deciding that sleep was the next best thing to do. Spengler carried the little fantasy creature upstairs while his colleagues watched him, a smile on their faces.

 

* * *

 

Mzuryn whisked through the streets of New York. The streets were bustling with people and he had to watch out not to get stepped upon or kicked. Just like Jojo, he was following the trail of the Krayphen, but unlike her he had the advantage of being a professional. Jojo liked to think of herself as the senior member of this team, but only because she was older. Not much, but she was older than him. That he was a better Finder was out of question. He was a natural, he thought smugly. He had found dozens of Krayphen and even more Ainourns. He was not that lucky in the Paecasy department, but he was getting there.

He stopped at the corner of a street and searched for a quicker way to his target. Sometimes he wished he could fly. Being an earthbound sentinel had its disadvantages, though being only able to fly and not walk properly had its drawbacks, too. That's why there were usually teams. Sometimes there were even teams of three, including a waterbound sentinel to the original team of earth and air. But Jojo hated him. He shrugged. It never bothered him much since they could still work it out in time to fulfill their job. Well, most of the time anyway.

He finally decided to follow the street and not take the roofs. Cats were not good long-distance jumpers, he had found out once. The fall had nearly gotten him a broken leg. After a few more blocks he was finally where the signal was the strongest. The building it was coming from was a firehall, a very old one. There was a sign above the large doors, which Mzuryn didn't know. Deciding to watch and wait first he began to circle his target. When he was satisfied and knew every outside corner of the building, he squeezed through the fence left of the main door and climbed the lonely tree in the yard behind the fence. Here he settled down, his senses alert. As he scanned the upper surface of the building his eyes came to rest on a window just above him. Cautiously he crept closer. The branch he was walking on bowed a bit under his weight.

Inside the building he saw two men. One was just disappearing in another room, the other sat in front of a TV. Of the Krayphen was no sign. Just as he played with the idea to jump onto the windowsill he heard the flapping of wings and then the branch bowed even more. Instinctively he buried his claws in the bark, then turned his head.

>>Jojo!<< he exclaimed.

The crow cocked its head. >>Hello, Mzuryn<< she greeted him, hopping closer, thereby making the branch shake.

>>Stop that!<< he ordered.

>>Oh, why?<< she sang sweetly. She hopped again.

He hissed and tried to turn around, but nearly lost his precarious hold on the moving branch. A fall from this height would not be healthy, though cats normally landed on their feet.

>>What do you want?<< he asked.

>>Want? Me? Nothing! I was just following the trail.<< She crowed. >>And here I am. You see, I can finish the job without you.<<

He shook his head and inched cautiously towards her. >>You might have found him, but can you get him back? You know what happens if he stays here too long. The Ocks might find him. Or worse: the Draeckon<<

She shuddered at the reminder of their enemies and their race against time. >>I know that<< she finally declared. >>That's why I will go in there, take the Krayphen and return home -- without your help!<< Jojo hopped away from him and then flew over to the building, landing on the gutter.

Mzuryn sighed and jumped down from the tree, deciding to find his own way inside. If this job went wrong he would not only be reprimanded, they would also loose another Krayphen. Damn, why did those eggs have to hatch everywhere but in his own home dimension? Sometimes he was convinced it was to make his life as hard and complicated as possible. With another heartfelt sigh he sat down in front of the large door. Maybe a bit of 'kitty charm' would work wonders. He started to meow heartbreakingly.

 

* * *

 

Something Mzuryn hadn't anticipated was the profession of the men owning the firehall. They were Ghostbusters and they had a busy life. Especially when a ghost alarm came in. Since it was Janine's day off, the four men had to pick up the phone themselves. It was Winston who was downstairs when the phone rang.

"Ghostbusters, Zeddemore speaking," he answered the call.

A hysteric, male voice shouted through the receiver, demanding of the Ghostbusters to come immediately.

"Calm down," Winston advised and scribbled down the address. "We'll be over as fast as we can." Then he put the receiver pack in the cradle and pushed the alarm button.

The other three were down in no time. Egon was not carrying the griffin, but Winston could already hear the little creature hopping down the stairs after his beloved human.

"What's up, Winston?" Ray wanted to know eagerly, his eyes alight.

"Emergency case from the sound of it. That was the assistant director of the harbor office. He says the workers at dock 15 were scared away by a dragon."

"A dragon?" Peter echoed. "In New York City? At dock 15?"

"Yes, Peter, that's what I said," Zeddemore told him patiently. "The dragon appeared from one second to another and has not left the dock since. There's still a ship anchored at the dock and the crew can't leave it."

"Sounds like an emergency," Egon agreed, already walking over to the cabinets containing their uniforms and proton packs. "Let's get going."

A little 'meowtwip' made him look towards the stairs. The griffin sat there, his eyes sweeping over the large hall, then coming to rest on Egon.

'Meowtwip?'

"Aw, he wants to come along," Ray said.

"We can't take him along," Egon told him. "This bust might be dangerous."

"But we also can't leave him here, big guy," Peter reminded him as he closed the zipper on his jumpsuit. "Who knows what the little critter gets himself into. He might not be able to fly, but he's good at climbing stairs."

"Yeah, think about the dangerous equipment we have," Winston agreed.

"Slimer watch," the ghost volunteered.

"Ohhh, noo!" Peter protested immediately. "If he does the baby-sitting I won't be the one cleaning up the mess when we return. Either the little critter comes along or I won't come home for the rest of the week."

Winston shot Ray an amused look. "Almost worth a try, huh?"

"I heard that," Peter announced, shooting Winston a murderous look, which he ignored.

"Okay, okay," the blond physicist agreed grudgingly, walking over to the griffin.

The animal looked expectantly at him, his little wings flapping eagerly. 'Meowtwip?' it asked.

"Yes, you can come along." Egon picked him up and carried him over to Ecto-1.

Slimer gave a disappointed 'Awww' and decided to make his rounds through the garbage cans in the neighborhood.

The griffin gave a happy 'meowtwip' and hopped from Egon's arms onto the back seat. Then it stood on its hind legs, front paws braced against the back rest of the seats, staring out of the back window with delight.

Ray chuckled at the sight of the eager little creature and slid onto the front seat. Reluctantly Peter sat down on the other side of the griffin. When Winston started the engine and sounded the alarm siren, the griffin flinched, but when they shot out of the fire hall he gave more delighted sounds, his wings outstretched not to loose balance. Only Ray noticed the gray cat jumping out of Ecto's way when they shot out.

 

*

 

Mzuryn was still sitting in front of the door. He had stopped calling when the alarm had sounded. Now he listened intently, his enhanced hearing picking up voices, but he was unable to say what they were talking about. Then, from one second to another and without warning, the doors opened and a screaming, blaring, flashing white car was racing towards him. The cat jumped out of the way, just barely able to escape the monster.

>>Hey!<< he protested, which came out as an enraged 'mrooww!'. The car disappeared around the next corner, leaving him behind. The doors started to close again.

Laughter rang in his ears and he turned his head, to his dismay seeing Jojo. The crow sat on the fence beside the building. A picture of offended pride, Mzuryn decided to use his chance and jumped through the closing doors. He was satisfied when he heard them close behind him without letting Jojo in.

Then he walked through the large hall, senses alert for any sign of the Krayphen. All he got was silence. No one was here. An insistent pecking on the window just above him made him look up. It was Jojo. The crow looked mightily annoyed. So what? She loved to make his life as hellish as possible, why should he let her in now?

Mzuryn bounded up the stairs and searched the second floor, but he found no sign of the Krayphen. When he arrived on the third floor and entered the lab his eyes fell on the remnants of the egg. So he had hatched here! Hah! He had been right. But where was he now? Jumping up on the table and sniffing at the shell he guessed that the creature hadn't hatched that long ago. And judging from the smell of meat the humans had fed it.

>>Great!<< he exclaimed sarcastically. >>Next thing I know the little critter won't want to come home. Why do humans always have to interfere?<<

He remembered the Ainourn in British Columbia. A woman had found the freshly hatched creature and had thought it was a normal horse, taking it home with her to her farm. She had fed the animal and bonded with it. Mzuryn had had no other choice than to tell the folks at home that there was no chance to get the Ainourn home without the risk that it died of sorrow and longing for its human friend. So they had decided to leave the animal where it was. Mzuryn still had to grin when he remembered the woman's dumbfound expression as she discovered the horn growing out the horse's head. Since Ainourns were not generally of white color -- this one having normal, brown fur -- they could not be easily distinguished from this dimension's horses as long as they didn't grow horns. Though he had feared that the woman would scare and tell others that her horse grew a horn on its forehead, she hadn't done that. The Ainourn was safe.

Now back to the griffin. Where the heck was he? The only possibility he saw was that the men had taken him with them in that loud car.

>>Great<< he moaned. >>Just when I thought this would be an easy job!<<

He jumped down the table and walked down the stairs into the hall. There he sat down on his haunches and thought hard about what to do. Where had the humans gone? Would they return? And why was Jojo still here?

Annoyed he looked up at the window. The crow was pecking at it again, squawking.

>>Oh, shut up<< he muttered and tried to think of a way out of here. A window was the most likely place. Opening the door would be too much of an effort. Sure, he could change from his catform into a more useful appearance for that task, but that would require too much energy.

Mzuryn jumped onto the windowsill and tried to lift the window. It was heavy and he had to channel some energy into his front paws to be strong enough to accomplish his task. The moment the window was open, Jojo flew into the room. Mzuryn watched her from his place on the windowsill.

>>Where is he?<< she demanded to know.

>>Who?<< he asked innocently.

>>The Krayphen!<<

>>He's gone, Jojo. Even you should be able to feel that.<< With that he hopped down onto the street.

She followed him, landing on a garbage can. >>Where did he go then?<<

>>How should I know? Aren't you the one who knows all, sees all and is always the boss of this team?<< He was in no mood to tell her what he thought where the Krayphen was.

She crowed something indecipherable and he went away, following what he thought was the street the car had taken. He needed some peace and quiet to get the signal back again. He was barely down a block when he stiffened. That couldn't be! Not so soon! Mzuryn looked around wildly, but couldn't see anything except hundreds of people and dozens of cars. He scurried into an alley and listened again. Yes, there it was. Damn!

>>You feel that, too?<< Jojo asked, landing beside him on an old wooden box.

He looked at her with serious, green cat eyes. >>Yes. And it's very close.<< His tail twitched nervously. >>I don't like it. They never were that quick<<

She looked thoughtful. >>Then again, there has never been a Krayphen hatching like that. It disturbed this dimension several times before hatching<<

>>They think it may be a queen<< Mzuryn said. >>If that's true it's even more dangerous to let it fall into the hands of the others<< He peered around the corner into the street. >>Do you think you can get a bearing on the Draeckon?<<

She nodded. >>Easily. He's broadcasting very strongly<<

>>Good. You do that and keep an eye on him. I try and find out where the humans took the Krayphen. Call if you find him first or if you need help<<

For once she didn't give him a smart reply about being grown-up and very well able to watch out for herself. Draeckon were nothing to take lightly. >>We'll be in touch<< was all she said and then took off.

Mzuryn watched her worriedly, wondering whether he had made the right decision. Then he shook his head and settled onto the problem of finding the Krayphen.

 

* * *

 

In the meantime, the Ghostbusters had arrived at the harbor and where briefed by the assistant manager, a balding, thin man with nervous eyes. He was always looking the way the haunted docking point was, fidgeting. "It just appeared without any warning and attacked the workers. It destroyed all the crates and strew the contents around. We never had something like that happening before!"

"We'll take a look at it, Mr. Cook," Peter assured him. "No problem."

A crashing sound, coming from dock 15, made the assistant manager flinch. "Please, trap that thing before it destroys even more!"

The four men walked over to the docks, looking at the plates fixed above every dock entrance. Even without the sign saying '15' there would have been no mistaking it. There were opened crates everywhere. The ship anchoring at the dock looked like someone had used it as a punching ball. There were dents all over the front hull. A roar made them aware of their prey.

"Geez," Peter muttered as he got his first good look at the dragon. "What an ugly thing."

The dragon really wasn't a beauty. It looked like a scaly worm with four feet. Its front paws were just below its head and the hind legs were on the far end of the worm body, shortly before the tail ended. The head was large and there was a bunch of hair growing between the scales, giving the impression the dragon had a full beard. Two thin whiskers grew out under large nostrils and slitted eyes were taking in the four Ghostbusters. There were two, ridiculously small wings attached to the body, just above the front legs.

"Looks like those Chinese dragon you see in every tourist shop," Winston remarked. "Even the color fits."

That was true. The dragon's scales were red, the 'beard' of a dark orange color and the talons were golden.

"It's still ugly," Peter insisted. "Let's bust it and get home. By the way, did you lock Ecto? We don't want out new pet to get into the way."

Winston nodded. "I locked all the doors and secured the car so he can't accidentally make it roll."

Egon pulled out his P.K.E. meter and took readings. "Looks like it's a normal Class-5 apparition," he told the others. "There should be no problem in trapping and containing it."

Peter didn't look convinced as he watched the dragon resume his course of destruction through the dock. Now and then it howled in frustration and banged its long body at the ship's hull.

"Fan out and try to get around it," he then ordered. "We will try to trap it between us."

The other three nodded and maneuvered around the crates and the contents littering the dock.

The dragon stopped its search again, watching the four humans suspiciously. It had learned that normally humans were afraid of paranormal apparitions -- especially loud and dangerous looking ones. But those four were actually coming towards it. Deciding that scaring them away was its only option, it abandoned its search and readied itself for an attack. The attack came, but not as it had expected it. A beam of brilliant light hit its body and it roared in pain. That hurt! Another beam followed the second one and it tried to get away. A third beam struck home and now it got really, really mad.

"Watch out!" Ray cried as the wormlike body coiled and then struck out like a whip. The occultist was barely able to escape the attack and rolled to safety behind a crate.

The others had gone for cover, too, throwers ready and watching the ghost. The dragon's eyes were glowing golden and it roared again, striking the crates they had taken cover behind. Winston shot up behind his cover as the dragon attacked Egon, and fired. Peter followed his example and when the ghost lost interest in Egon because of his new tormentors, Spengler fired, too. Ray fumbled out a ghost trap and threw it under the writhing spirit.

Trapped in four beams the dragon had no chance of escape. Enraged it still tried to pull away, making it hard for the four men to hold on to their rifles.

"Easy, huh?" Peter yelled over to Egon. "That thing's strong!"

"Hold it steady!" Ray ordered. "I'll open the trap now!" Then he stomped onto the trigger and the small device opened.

The dragon's cries doubled as it felt the pull of the trap and for a second Peter was afraid it might break free, but then it disappeared into the trap.

"Whew!" Winston wiped sweat off his brow. "He put up a real fight."

"Yeah, but we got him!" Ray bounded over and picked up the trap. "That was great!"

"Uh-huh." Venkman dusted himself off. "Just great. Let's get back, guys. I need a shower."

"You didn't even get slimed," Winston remarked with a grin and pulling a piece of straw out of the dark brown hair.

Peter grimaced. "Yeah, but I got dumped into a dusty, straw-filled heap of sharp and muddy things. Can we go home now?"

Egon put his P.K.E. meter away. "I think we should go home. I have found some interesting readings here. They seem to correlate with those the griffin emitted when he hatched."

"Really?" Ray was delighted. "That could mean they both come from the same place!"

"Your mean that monster hatched from an egg of stone too?" Peter asked in disbelief.

"No. It means that they are likely to be of the same origin." Egon started his walk back to Ecto-1. "I have to compare the readings and then I can say more."

Peter followed him. "As long as it doesn't mean that the little critter transforms into something like that, it's fine with me," he muttered.

"Of course he won't," Egon told him with an annoyed look.

"Of course he won't," Peter copied him. "I'll remind you of it when there's a monster sitting on your chest, calling you 'Dada' the next time."

Egon grimaced.

The four walked back to their car and the waiting Mr. Cook. Peter was already writing their bill. No one saw the gray cat with the white paws, sitting on an old anchor, watching them with large, surprised eyes.

 

*

 

Mzuryn just couldn't believe what he had seen. That just couldn't be!

>>How ....?<< he muttered to himself. >>How the heck did they do that?<< Shaking his head he watched them go back to their car.

He had arrived on the scene of the battle the second the Draeckon had disappeared into the small device. The brilliant light had hurt his eyes, but he had still watched the whole process, completely astonished. These humans had just caught a Draeckon! Incredible. It hadn't been easy to find the Krayphen, but he had done so nevertheless. But the battle had drawn his attention away from finding a way to open the locked car. He had scurried over and now it was too late to return.

>>Did you see that?<< Jojo's voice rang with the disbelief Mzuryn felt. >>They simply sucked the Draeckon into that little box!<<

>>I saw it, I saw it<< It had been a huge coincidence that the appearance of the Draeckon and the place where the four humans had taken the Krayphen were the same. Mzuryn doubted they knew of the connection between the two creatures. But then ... he wasn't so sure. He wondered who those humans were. He just had to find out. He was a terribly curious cat.

>>What now?<< the crow wanted to know.

>>Now we get back to their house and watch them. I think they're quite different from all the other humans we know<<

She nodded. >>But how do we get the Krayphen away from them?<<

>>Let's worry about that when we're back at that firehall<< With that he jumped down from the anchor.

 

* * *

 

The little griffin eyed the trap with a nervous look in his yellow bird eyes. Ray had placed it into the back of the car. The animal was sitting on Egon's lap, curled into a tight ball,  making it impossible for the physicist to work.

"What's he afraid of?" Ray asked and leaned over the back rest of his seat to look at the fantasy creature.

"Maybe the dragon frightened him," Winston suggested, expertly steering Ecto-1 through the New York traffic.

"He didn't even see the dragon," Peter objected.

"But he heard him." Egon patted the bird head.

"And now we have it trapped, we were paid for it, so it's okay." Venkman shrugged, leaning back and closing his eyes. "Let's get home, put it into the containment unit and forget it."

Half an hour later Winston parked their car in the firehall. While Ray took the trap down to empty it, Egon put the griffin onto the floor, where he immediately raced over to the window Mzuryn had used to get out. Flapping its still useless wings the small animal tried to get up on the windowsill. The three men watched it with various expressions. Egon was thoughtful, Winston amused, Peter simply bored.

"Maybe he needs his walkies," the psychologist muttered. "And you better get a leash, Spengs. I don't wanna know where he runs off to when we let him out." With that he walked over to the stairs. "I need a shower," he announced and disappeared to the third floor.

"Very strange," Egon muttered, pulling out his P.K.E. meter and pointing it at the griffin.

"What, Egon?"

"He seems to be interested in something having to do with the windowsill," the physicist pointed out. The griffin had managed to climb up the sill and was now sniffing at something, his wings shaking excitedly. "And I'm getting some very interesting readings."

Winston craned his neck to look at the read-out screen.

"I filtered out the griffin's readings and the readings I now get are very similar to his."

"You mean there was something here while we were gone?"

"Correct, Winston. And just like the dragon ghost we trapped, it seems to have the same origin as our griffin." Egon took the little animal from the windowsill and walked over to the stairs. "I'll be in my lab to compare the readings."

Winston looked at the windowsill, then after Egon. He didn't like it. Especially when he thought about the dragon ghost and the possibility that their visitor was a relative of him.

 

* * *

 

Mzuryn and Jojo arrived at the fire house a second time this day, only shortly after the four men had disappeared inside. Since Mzuryn was unable to fly and since Jojo was faster by wing, the cat had decided to use a trick and 'jump' to this place. It was like using a subway in this world and it allowed him to be at the place he wanted to go much quicker. Especially when he knew exactly where he wanted to go and didn't have to stop every now and then to look where the tunnel had taken him.

As before they both felt the presence of the Krayphen and as before they had to find a way to get in. But this time Jojo found a partly open window. Mzuryn used some of his excess energy and got himself on the second floor windowsill. He peered inside and discovered that this was the kitchen he was looking at. No one was present right now. That gave them the chance to slip in unseen.

>>And now?<< Jojo wanted to know, looking around, too.

>>Now we find the Krayphen without letting those humans see us and get it home. We don't have much time, since I think they will soon find out that those humans trapped or destroyed one of the Draeckon<<

The crow hopped over to the doorframe leading further into the house. She peered around the corner. >>No one in sight. Let's go<<

Mzuryn followed her, hoping no one would come any time soon. A cat might be easily explained, but a crow? As he stepped into what had to be the living room he heard voices from below. With a warning hiss he disappeared behind an armchair. Jojo landed at his side and both looked cautiously around the large furniture.

Two men were coming up the stairs. One was tall, blond and bespectacled. The other one was shorter, a bit rounder and had auburn hair. They were talking to each other. The blond held the ....

>>The Krayphen!<< Jojo whispered lowly.

>>Shush!<< Mzuryn told her.

>>They can't hear us, idiot! We're what they would call telepathically communicating<<

>>Oh, read some more science fiction books, have we<< The cat gave her a knowing look. >>That's bad for you<<

The crow tried to peck him. >>Jerk<< she muttered.

>>Always at you service, beautiful lady<< he retorted.

The men continued their climb to the third floor. The Krayphen was craning its neck to look at the two unlikely partners and Jojo nudged her cat companion.

>>It knows we're here<<

>>Of course it does<< he retorted. >>It's one of us<<

She snorted and hopped over to the stairs, looking up. >>What now?<<

>>Let me think<< He sat down.

>>Don't hurt yourself<< She snickered.

He gave her a withering look. >>Don't joke about things you aren't even capable off<< he shot back. >>Now be quiet<<

>>Yes, O Big Thinker<< Jojo hopped up the first few steps and listened to what she might be able to hear from upstairs.

But instead she heard something from downstairs. Someone else was coming. This time it was the black human and he disappeared into the kitchen, luckily not looking back into the living room. If he had he would have seen a cat and crow, standing stock still.

>>Well?<< Jojo wanted to know.

>>Let's get up there and see what they are doing with the Krayphen<< Mzuryn decided, already walking up the stairs.

The crow flew up and landed on the railing around the spiral stairs, waiting for her partner to come too. Mzuryn looked at the door that, he knew, led to the lab. It was closed. The second door to the bedroom was partly open and he risked a look inside. The bedroom was empty. But therefore someone sang unmelodiously, the terrible noise coming from out of what he knew was the bathroom.

Jojo shook herself. >>That's what they call singing?<< she complained.

>>That's what he calls singing<< the cat corrected and inspected the lab's door. No way getting in without using his energy again. And he had done so too often in the last hours.

Suddenly the door of the bathroom opened and the two animals whisked into the bedroom. Unluckily the man who had sung under the shower entered the bedroom after them. Still humming he started to dress, not noticing the two crouching behind one of the four beds. When the dark-haired man was finished he left the bedroom again and -- Mzuryn couldn't believe his luck -- entered the lab.

>>Come one!<< he said to Jojo and ran after the man.

Even more luck was on their side when the man left the door open as he stepped into the lab.

 

 

Peter Venkman entered the lab, curious what Egon and Ray were doing with their newly acquired pet. The little griffin sat on the table, cooing happily as Ray was playing with it. Egon worked on the computer.

"Well, you two geniuses, what did you find out?" he asked jovially.

"The readings I recorded from the dragon and the reading of the griffin are nearly identical," Egon said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "There are a few differences, but you can only find them if you know that the readings are from two very different creatures. The reading of the faint paranormal aura our guest was so eagerly after is close to that of the dragon, but it differs more from it than the griffin does. Basically speaking they are the same -- with a few differences."

>>The same?<< Jojo exclaimed. >>He says we are like the Draeckon? Who does he think he is? I'm no Draeckon!<<

>>Shhh!<< Mzuryn shot her an angry look.

>>I'll give him Draeckon<< the crow muttered on, hopping up and down.

>>Shut. Up<< the cat commanded and, to his surprise, Jojo fell silent. He listened closely to the blond's explanations. How could the humans find all that out? What readings was the man talking about?

"So you say that we have several entities from the same breed?" Peter asked.

Egon shook his head.

"He means that they are all from the same point of origin -- the same dimension, so-to-speak," Ray explained.

"So?"

"So my theory is that something is after our griffin. Something entered Ghostbuster Central when we left and obviously searched it. Ray and I checked the window: it was opened and closed again, but not locked." The physicist lifted an eyebrow. "I changed one of the P.K.E. meters to the frequency of the entity that entered Central."

"So if he shows up again we catch him?" Peter grinned. "Sounds great."

Ray picked up the modified meter. "That's it. I'll switch it on now and ...."

Mzuryn didn't want to hear more. Whatever they were talking about, with P.K.E. meters and frequencies, all he understood was that the man had found a way to find him and Jojo. And there was one thing he didn't want: to be detected.

>>Let's get outta here!<< he hissed and gave Jojo and unceremonious push towards the doors.

>>What's going on?<< she asked.

>>They have a device to find us if we come near them<< he explained.

>>What now?<<

>>Let's get over there and think of a plan<< He nodded toward the entrance to the bedroom. It was unlikely that the men would come in here since it was still bright daylight.

The cat and the crow disappeared inside.

 

 

In the lab Ray had switched on the meter and frowned at the read-out screen.

"What's wrong, Ray?" Winston wanted to know.

"I'm not sure. Either I got it calibrated all wrong or," he pointed the meter at the door, "or we just had a visitor. There is a definite reading correlating with the entity that was here earlier."

Egon looked at the screen, then took the P.K.E. meter out of Ray's hands and worked some dials.

"The calibration was correct," he told his colleague. "The entity was here. Not such a long time ago."

Peter looked around, expecting something nasty to pop up every second. "Where is it now, Egon?" he wanted to know, his voice tense.

"It's not in this room," the physicist answered.

"Okay, guys, get the proton packs and fan out," Venkman ordered. "We won't let it get away."

The other three nodded and left the lab. Ray locked it behind them, keeping the griffin inside -- and safe. The little animal started to cry heartbreakingly the second Egon was out of sight. The physicist stopped, hesitating.

"He'll be safe in there, Spengs," Peter said and patted the blond man's arm. "Don't worry."

"I'm more worried about all the delicate equipment locked inside with him," Egon told him briskly and walked off to the first floor.

"Yeah, right," Peter muttered, grinning. Then he followed him.

 

*

 

Mzuryn watched the four through the crack in the door to the bedroom, breathing a sigh when they had disappeared -- together with their detection device.

>>They're gone<< he told Jojo. >>Let's move now<<

>>You don't think they'll come back?<< The crow hopped into the hallway, looking doubtfully at the stairs.

>>Hopefully not before we and the Krayphen are long gone. We only have to get him out of here and down to the Bridgepoint<< He looked at the closed and locked door, sighing again. >>Why do humans have to lock each and every thing?<< he asked no one in particular. >>This is a real drain<<

Jojo chuckled. Unlike Mzuryn she didn't have any excess power to draw upon. Airbound sentinels had no such energy source, which was one reason why they once in a while had to go to sleep and erect a protective shell around them. It conserved and renewed energy in one and when a signal came, they would wake up. She had other powers, though -- like being able to change in other lifeforms more quickly. She had even experimented with appearing human. It had failed so far. She just couldn't get rid of the wings.

The door's lock clicked open and Mzuryn pushed the door open, hoping nothing complicated awaited them -- like a cage. But the Krayphen was not imprisoned. In fact, the newly hatched creature sat on a chair, staring down on the floor with mourning eyes. When the door opened it looked up, giving an inquisitive 'meowtwip'.

Mzuryn walked over to him and looked up. >>Come on<< he called. >>We're here to get you home<<

The Krayphen cocked ist head, blinking. It was not yet used to this form of communication. In fact, it still had to learn how to talk. Jojo landed beside it on the chair and crowed something, encouraging it. The Krayphen spread its little wings and hopped down. Mzuryn gave a satisfied purr and turned, walking for the door. The Krayphen followed him, instinct telling it that those two strange creatures were its friends. Jojo brought up the rear.

Mzuryn pawed the door open again and squeezed through, turning to see if the Krayphen followed him, too. The creature did, but when it had squeezed through it looked up -- high over the cat's head -- and gave a delighted 'meowtwip'. Mzuryn felt his back hair rise and he turned -- coming nose to leg with one of the humans. His gaze travelled up and he looked straight at something looking suspiciously like a weapon.

>>Ups<<

>>What the ....<< Jojo hopped out in the hallway and stopped dead. >>Oh-ohh<< she muttered.

"Well, gotcha," the dark-haired human said, stepping to the blond's side, who was holding the rifle pointed at them.

>>And now?<< Jojo wanted to know.

Mzuryn sighed. >>And now everything has gotten a loooot more complicated than necessary. I hate it when that happens!<< He gave the two humans a cat smile. "Hi," he then said in their tongue, broadcasting on a broad band to let them receive the words. "How ya doing? You know, I can really explain all of this ...."

 

*

 

Mzuryn sat on the table in front of the couch, Jojo at his side. The four humans -- each of them had introduced himself -- sat or stood around them. The Krayphen sat on the blond's -- Egon's -- lap and cooed happily. After they had been discovered and the two humans had come around their initial shock of hearing a cat -- and a crow -- talk, they had ushered them to the living room and had called their friends. Peter Venkman, still wearing his proton pack, was leaning against the couch. He wasn't pointing the rifle at them, but he was ready to use it.

"So, now that we're all here, why don't you explain to us what you want to explain?" Egon asked the two unlikely partners.

"He can really talk?" Ray asked, his face full of fascination.

"Yes, he can talk, though this way of communication tends to be quite straining," the cat said. "And before you ask -- yes, it's what you would call telepathy. We can't read thoughts, we just broadcast them." It gave them an amiable grin -- which didn't look that amiable on a cat's face.

"Where did you come from?" Ray wanted to know. "And why did you want to steal the griffin?"

The crow made a disgusted noise, looking offended. The cat gave it a sharp look.

"If you have to say something, Jojo, say it in their tongue." Jojo kept silent on that. The gray cat looked back at Ray. "We didn't want to steal the Krayphen, eh, griffin. It is from our world and we just wanted to show it the way home."

"If he comes from your world," Winston put it, "why did he hatch here? The egg he came from looks mighty old. And don't tell me you lost it. That's a cheap excuse."

The cat chuckled mentally. "No, Mr. Zeddemore, we didn't loose the egg." It shook its head. "I think we should start from the beginning. And I'm also very rude. Allow me to introduce myself: my name is Mzuryn of the Sentinels of Vaentazy. My companion is Jojo. She, too, is a Sentinel of Vaentazy."

The crow hissed in annoyance. "My name is not Jojo, you jerk," a female voice could be heard.

Peter lifted an eyebrow. Female?

"It's Jokanjo." The crow gave the cat an angry look.

"Yeah, right. Like I said: that's Jojo." The cat quickly evaded a peck from the sharp beak. When it had settled down again -- further away from the crow -- it said: "The egg you were given by the man named Dirk Monroe was originally left in what you call Morocco a long time ago. We didn't loose it there, neither did we want to get rid of it. We just had to keep it safe."

"Safe from what?" Ray asked, listening intently to the story.

"In our world we have a lot of enemies, Mr. Stantz. Enemies like the Draeckon you trapped today. He was trying to get the egg. He was following its trail and that's why he searched for it at the harbor. Draeckon are not very good Finders, but they get their prey because they're very persistent."

"That's why the readings were nearly alike." Egon nodded as if suddenly everything was clear to him. "The dragon came from the same dimension the griffin and you two are from, but because he's a bit different, his readings differ too.

Mzuryn nodded, too. "Correct, Mr. Spengler."

"What do those Draeckon want to do with the eggs or the hatchlings?" Winston asked.

"The eggs are sources of great energy, Mr. Zeddemore. The energy protects the young while they are growing. The young feed off the energy and when it runs out they hatch. When they are hatched they are full of that energy and that's something that attracts the Draeckon and the Ocks, just like the eggs do. Because the eggs are hidden in other dimensions the Draeckons and Ocks wait for the young to hatch. The hatching process takes place in a burst of energy and this way they can pinpoint the dinemsion."

"And when they find them, they eat them?" Ray was aghast.

"They take their life energy, which is just the same. In the end, the hatchlings die. The only way to prevent that is either a bonding or the return to Vaentazy."

"Why do you hide the eggs in other dimenions in the first place," the occultist wanted to know. "Can't you protect them at home? What about the parents? Why give away the children?"

Mzuryn's ears twitched. "Vaentazy is not ruled by a king or a queen, nor have we a council. We consist of dozens of different beings you too do know, just by different names," he explained slowly. "We all live in tribes and we try to coexist peacefully. Since not all get along very well, the population is very thin and offspring is scarce. Only the queens and the strong females of a tribe lay eggs. The eggs take a long time to hatch and we cannot always guard them. So we take them to other places to get them away from the Ocks or the Draeckons who seek to capture the young ones. When the time of the hatching comes, we sentinels are alerted. We live here in your world as we do in others where the eggs have been brought. We are assigned to one world for a lifetime or until all the eggs are hatched, but since there is always a new egg brought here once in a while, our job is everlasting. When we find the hatched young we bring him to the Bridgepoint where they can return home."

"Wow!" Ray breathed, fascinated. "You mean, like the dragon and the griffin, there are other fantasy creature out there, hatching?"

Mzuryn nodded. "Creatures you call unicorns or pegasi or mermaids and so on."

"That would explain a lot of the Legends and stories in this world," Egon mused aloud.

The cat shrugged. "Yeah, sometimes we can't keep all the young from being detected, like the Krayphen you found. We try our best, but once in a while we loose some." Mzuryn shot the crow a meaningful glance.

"You mean they get killed?" Ray was shocked.

"Oh, no!" The paranormal being looked affronted. "No, we won't let them die here. But sometimes the young bond with the humans who find them. Unfortunate accident, that is."

"Bond?" Peter frowned. The cat had mentioned that before. "What do you mean with 'bond'?"

"Well....." Mzuryn looked at Egon. "The young are very receptive when they hatch. And when a human takes care of the young and feeds it and projects general love to it ... they bond."

Egon stared at the griffin. "Oh," was all he could say.

"You mean Egon and the griffin ....?" Ray looked delighted. "That's great, Egon!"

The cat laughed. "No, don't worry. Mr. Spengler didn't bond with the Krayphen. Luckily for us he was only scientifically interested in it and since he was the first person the Krayphen saw when it hatched, it saw its lead person in him. If it had been someone like you, Mr. Stantz, we might have to leave the Krayphen here forever." The green cat eyes looked meaningfully at the occultist. "But as I said: we were in luck."

"And what are you?" Peter asked, giving the two a scrutinizing look. "You're not such a fantasy creature. You're a cat -- and a crow."

"Oh, we sentinels gave up our permanent shape very soon. We have to remain 'under cover', as you would say, in your world. We're only bound to the laws of our former bodies. Those are that I can never fly and Jojo can never change into a land creature. But those limits are acceptable. We're guardians -- to serve and protect, as you would say in your world." To be honest, Mzuryn couldn't remember what he had been before he became a sentinel. Maybe an Aelw or a Tvarw or an Ainourn. Once in a while he pondered that question, but he had never come closer to an answer. It didn't matter what you had been when you were chosen as a sentinel. You lost all that identified you as a member of that particular tribe to insure you neutrality. This way a sentinel could only identify with all the creatures of Vaentazy, not with only a single tribe. It was vital.

"You can shape-change?" Egon asked, fascinated.

"A bit," Mzuryn confessed. "I'm not very good at it and it's strenous, too. Not recommendable."

"Where is this Bridgepoint of yours?" Winston wanted to know. "And when do you have to get back?"

"Well, we have to be back as soon as possible to get the Krayphen back to its tribe. And the Bridgepoint is everywhere we want it to be. We just have to get down to streetlevel, that's all." The cat looked at the crow, which had been awfully quit throughout the whole conversation. "Well, Jojo, I think we should really get the Krayphen back now."

"Definitely," she answered. "Because then I'm finally rid of you."

The cat grinned smugly. "You forget that we're partners."

Jojo snorted. "Pah." With that she flew over to the railing of the stairs leading down.

"I love you too, sweetheart," the cat called after her. Then Mzuryn looked at the four Ghostbusters. "Can we go?" he asked, knowing the four wouldn't let them go if they didn't want to. Especially since they had such great power to trap  even a Draeckon!

Ray looked at Winston, then at Egon. Both men nodded. Peter hesitated. "How do we know he tells the truth," the psychologist asked.

The grey cat looked thoughtfully at him. "You don't know it, Mr. Venkman. You just have to trust me. I can't give you any proof other than our presence and what you have seen for yourself." Mzuryn glanced at the griffin, who was watching them with interest. "It wouldn't sit here like that if I were one of the Draeckon or Ocks. I want to get it home to where it belongs. If it stays here, more will come. I suspect that the next sighting of an Ock or a Draeckon is somewhere around the museum, where the egg spent some time, too. They won't give up."

"If they are so persistent, why do you leave unicorns which have bonded in our world?" Peter wanted to know, still not really convinced. "Aren't they in any danger to be kidnapped?"

Mzuryn shook his head. "Bonded Vaentazy are of no interest to the Draeckon or Ocks. They are useless. But you are right to ask what becomes of those who are left here -- even if they are not bonded. The truth is that this Krayphen may turn out to be something special, another queen or very strong female. The incidents surrounding his hatching show that. Normally Vaentazy offspring hatch with far less display of paranormal power."

"It might turn out to be a queen?" Winston asked. "Can't you tell what it will grow up to be?"

The cat shook ist head. "No. The first three months after hatching, the young are sexless. They start developing to their later self somewhere around the forth or fifth month. We're just guessing, that's all. But to keep the Krayphen alive for that time it has  to return home." Mzuryn gave Peter a pleading look.

"Peter, I think he's really telling the truth," Ray said.

"As do I," Egon put in.

Winston just nodded.

Venkman shrugged. "Okay, go." He put the proton rifle back on the pack.

The sentinel heaved a sigh. "Thank you." Then he hopped down on the floor and looked at the griffin.

>>Come on. It's time for us to go home<<

The little animal cooed unhappily and looked at Egon. The physicist took it off his lap and put it down on the floor, where it sat with sad, mourning eyes.

>>Maybe one day you can return<< Mzuryn told him. >>But you have to come home, back to your tribe<<

The griffin sighed, then trudged over to where the crow sat. Mzuryn smiled a bit. It was always hard for the little ones to leave the humans who had found them, even if they hadn't bonded with them. Humans had that effect on the hatchlings. Once one of the not-bonded Krayphen had even returned to the human who had found her, just for a visit, as she had explained later. He'd never understand it.

The three Vaentazy creatures climbed down the stairs and the four humans followed. When they were on the street level, Mzuryn nodded to Jojo.

>>Showtime<<

The crow closed its eyes, sitting on the railing of the stairs. The cat sat opposite on the floor, the griffin between them. Then, from one second to another, the little winged animal was surrounded by a bluish mist. The mist swirled around it and with a soft 'pop' it disappeared.

The Ghostbusters looked a bit astonished. They had expected a Bridgepoint to be more than that.

"Well," Mzuryn said and stretched. "That's it."

"Really?" Ray sounded very disappointed. "I mean, that was all?"

"Sure." The cat gave him a surprised look. "What else should have happened?"

"Uh, I don't know."

"Time for me to go," Jojo announced and flew over to the window, landing on the windowsill. "Would anyone of the gentlemen please do me a favor and open the window?" she asked, batting her crow eyes.

Mzuryn had to hold on to himself not to laugh out aloud. Winston walked over and did her the favor.

"Thank you." With that she flew away.

Mzuryn shook his head, walking over to the same window. "Well, " he said. "I think I should go now, too." He smiled again, looking at the four. "Thanks for taking care of the Krayphen."

"No problem." Ray shrugged.

The cat hopped out of the window and scurried away into the next alley. Winston closed the window.

"Did we just dream all that or where there really a talking crow, a talking cat and a now disappeared griffin in our home?" he then asked the others.

Peter grinned. "If you didn't hear them talk, neither did I."

 

* * *

 

One day later the four Ghostbusters stood in the office of Dave Fraser, Director of the Museum of Natural History.

"A what hatched from the t-rex egg?" Fraser asked, incredulous.

"Ehm, a griffin, sir," Ray answered. "And it wasn't a t-rex egg. It was a griffin egg."

Fraser stared at them, then at professor Monroe. "Do you believe that, Dirk?"

"Well, considering what happened while the egg was here and considering the line of work the Ghostbusters are in -- yes, I believe them."

The director shook his head. "How am I supposed to explain the disappearance of an egg, which had just been delivered?"

"Well, we still have the shell," Monroe reminded him with a smile. "And we can exhibit them."

"I bet you're the first museum to own a griffin egg," Peter said cheerfully.

"If I ever tried to label that shell as a griffin egg I'd be out of a job, Dr. Venkman," Fraser said pointedly.

"It's always worth a try," Peter shrugged.

The director sighed. "Okay, we can't change it anyway. Just leave the shell with Professor Monroe."

"And the bill?"

"What bill, Dr. Venkman?"

Peter looked innocently at the man. "Well, we rid you of a paranormal problem, didn't we?"

"Yes, and of a very expensive exhibition piece too." Fraser lifted one eyebrow. "If you want, we can always bill you for that."

Peter grinned sweetly. "In that case: consider it paid." He turned to his friends. "Let's go, guys."

Egon and Ray grinned, while Winston tried to surpress a chuckle. Monroe only raised both eyebrows. When they were outside the professor turned to his old friend.

"You were really serious about that griffin, weren't you, Egon?"

The blond physicist nodded. "Yes, I was."

Monroe shrugged. "What a loss. I'd liked to have studied it. But anyway, thanks for your help. Visit me some time, will you?"

"Of course. Good-bye, Dirk."

The other three nodded their good-byes and then left the museum. Peter stretched when they were outside.

"Well, guys, what now? We returned the egg -- or what's left of it -- and we got off the hook for paying for the thing."

"Janine has made several appointments for us," Egon reminded him. "And one of them is right in this neighborhood. Looks like poltergeist activity."

Peter sighed. "Back to work." He shrugged, then sneezed. "Argh! Not again! I know I'm allergic to something!"

With some more muttering he disappeared into the car. The others got in, too, and Winston drove off. No one saw the gray cat with the white paws sitting beside the stairs to the museum, watching them. When the car had disappeared into the traffic he hopped down on the streets, deciding that since there was no new signal of a hatching, he could use his free time for something useful -- like trying to find his partner again.


End file.
